


monsters, cut off from all the world

by inquisitor_tohru



Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Arkanis (Star Wars), Choking, Classic Kylux, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Force-Suppression Tech, Hoth (Star Wars), Kissing, Kylux Mini Bang 2019, Light Angst, M/M, Post-Star Wars: The Last Jedi, Sarcasm, Supreme Leader Kylo Ren, Touch-Starved Armitage Hux
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-09
Updated: 2019-09-09
Packaged: 2020-10-10 03:01:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 8,201
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20520860
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/inquisitor_tohru/pseuds/inquisitor_tohru
Summary: A successful betrayal of the supreme leader with force-suppression tech leaves Kylo Ren at Hux's mercy. He expects to be disposed of in some way or another, but instead Hux gives him an ultimatum: Ren has one year to prove he's the best possible leader or escape his bonds and 'tag' Hux back.If he fails to meet either goal he will abdicate to Hux. If he meets one or both goals Hux will submit to any punishment or command. As it turns out, Ren is more sane, logical and functions generally better, without the Force.





	1. lies, damned lies, and statistics

**Author's Note:**

  * For [MissionFailure](https://archiveofourown.org/users/MissionFailure/gifts).

> My piece for the Kylux Reverse Mini Bang 2019 - amazing prompt and illustrations provided by MissionFailure, who has been a wonderful partner <3

Ren woke with what felt like a hangover, without having enjoyed any of the pleasures normally associated with one. If that hadn't alerted him that something wasn't quite right, the fact that it took him a couple of minutes to realise Hux was at his bedside certainly did. The general's mind was a slippery thing, but Ren had always been aware of its presence - a constant buzz of nervous energy. His senses were dulled, but the room was so quiet that he could hear his own teeth grinding together.

"Good evening, Supreme Leader."

"What have you done?" Ren spat, ignoring Tritt and the other officers in the room with them. They were irrelevant. He sat up, looked Hux right in the eye. "You know I don't need the Force to throttle you." He imagined the horror, the  _ desperation _ that would flicker in the general's eyes as he crushed his windpipe with his bare hands. 

"Go ahead." Hux's lips curled into something that resembled a smile as he glanced at the other officers, fingers already on triggers. "I must admit...I am most eager to see how you'd deflect blaster fire without it." 

"So good of you to wait until I was conscious this time." Though Hux's expression gave nothing away, Ren had no doubt that the general understood  _ precisely _ which incident he referred to. "You still haven't answered my question." 

"I think you know  _ what  _ I've done. You wish me to disclose  _ how  _ you were detained.  _ How  _ your abilities have been suppressed-"

"Get to the point," Ren snapped. He instinctively made a fist as he tried to harness his anger, but nothing happened. The only upside was that he noticed Lieutenant Mitaka still flinched at the display. "My patience is wearing thin, General."

"The feeling is quite mutual, I assure you." Ren noticed Hux's own gloved hand tense and form a fist, before it slid into the pocket of his greatcoat. "Suffice to say that your detainment was made possible by the very science and technology you show so much disdain for." Gods, Ren hated that smug bastard.

"I see. And I can only presume the reason you haven't murdered me in my sleep is that you wish to make a spectacle of me." Hux chuckled softly.

"Ren-  _ Supreme Leader _ , I am a reasonable man. I'm not going to  _ kill  _ you. You are a great asset to the First Order, and yet you are also its greatest liability. I am issuing you with an ultimatum." He paused, but Ren didn't give him the satisfaction of a readable reaction. Instead, Hux looked to each of the officers as if they were about to witness a crucial moment in galactic history. "You have one year. In that time you will do at least one of three things. Excel in the role of Supreme Leader, or escape that which shackles your abilities. If you fail in both of these tasks, you will relinquish your title and all responsibilities to me. Of course, you may choose to abdicate now and save us all the bother..."

"To  _ you _ ?" Ren laughed, and knew without looking at the officers' expressions that he likely sounded unhinged.  _ Good. Let them still fear me.  _ "And what, pray tell, makes you any more qualified to act as Supreme Leader?" Hux slid his hand into a deceptively large pocket of his greatcoat, producing a datapad.

"Data. Statistics.  _ Facts, _ " he said curtly. "The Battle of Crait was a disaster. You were too easily swayed by emotion. You made rash decisions. You had no strategy, and you failed to seek guidance and advice from those equipped to offer it."

"You think rather highly of your abilities,  _ General _ ." Hux shrugged his over-padded shoulders.

"Good leadership entails deference, on occasion. The First Order has a great many assets. As you appear determined to cling to what power you still have...I suggest you  _ use  _ them." Ren thought about choking him again. About gripping his red hair before slamming him into another console. After all, not even Hux could deny him his fantasies. It wouldn't be long until they became reality. All he had to do was wait until the general was alone. 

_ Watch and wait.  _


	2. an accumulation of anguish

For the first few weeks he avoided Hux. He knew he had to work on controlling his anger if he had any chance at catching the bastard off guard, and seeing him would undo any such chance. When it came down to it, anger was all he had left. Cut off from all the world, each moment was like watching a scene from a holovid. Ren was a witness to the events of his life, but not a participant. He was little more than a _ droid _. 

Not even training helped. His lightsaber had been undeniably _his_, an extension of his person, his will. Now it felt wrong in his hands, like it didn't _fit. _The cracked kyber crystal began to irk him and he put the saber away, along with his grandfather's helmet. He didn't deserve to look upon these relics until he was whole again. He tossed another tasteless, half-eaten ration bar aside, and looked towards the door that led to the _Finalizer's _maze of corridors. It was time to act.

Monitoring Hux proved more difficult than expected. His daily routines were so maddeningly dull and lacking in spontaneity that it took great effort for Ren not to disrupt them. There had been routines when he- when _Ben Solo_\- had trained with his uncle. He hated them then, and now it was _worse_ \- being unable even to skim the petty officers' minds for idle gossip or to scramble a trooper's senses enough that they'd walk themselves right into a wall...well, it made watching dreary Hux go about his dreary business an absolute torture.

He took a deep breath as he watched Hux sipping tea while going over datawork. Ren had tried some of that tarine tea during his first week observing Hux, and had still been retching a few minutes later. There was something deeply wrong with Hux. Either he truly enjoyed the taste, or he had strangely masochistic tendencies when it came to sustenance. Ren wasn't sure which was more likely, or more disturbing.

"Supreme Leader." Hux's hair was, predictably, slightly damp during their latest encounter outside his suite. "We really must stop meeting like this. People will begin to talk." Ren's knuckles turned white beneath his too-long sleeves. The _ gall _ of the man. Naturally, he'd become even more insufferable since Ren's abilities had been quieted. Because he was a coward. Because he forgot this was a _ temporary _arrangement.

"Let them," Ren said through gritted teeth. "I wonder what they would think if they knew their general spent his evenings lazing in the bath...while they are merely permitted to use the sonic showers."

"I had no idea my personal hygiene was so fascinating to you." Many of the officers had learned to wear their faces as masks. If that was even something that could be learned. Maybe it was an innate ability that some people just _ had _. In any case, Hux was not one of them, and it amused Ren to sense his clear discomfort. But he was not one of them either, and as he hid his mouth behind his hand, Ren found himself wishing he hadn't smashed his helmet. That had been what Hux might have called a "rash decision".

"You are mistaken, General." Ren turned to leave, but looked back over his shoulder. "Nothing about you is fascinating to me."

"Glad to hear it," he called after him. "I was beginning to worry that you were unwell." Ren smiled for the first time that week. Getting under Hux's skin was far too easy. Ren suspected Brendol was the one he could thank for the chip on that over-padded shoulder. It was just a shame that he was also responsible for, well, _ Hux _.

* * *

Hux sighed as he lay back into the warm embrace of cardamom scented water. Of course Ren had even found a way to ruin _ that _ . That was one of many problems with Supreme Leaders Snoke _ and _Kylo Ren. Maintaining one's privacy became a great effort. Hux had always been good at keeping any "inappropriate" thoughts and feelings hidden away from Brendol and his lackeys. And from himself, until all that remained when, for the first time, he stood on Starkiller Base was a cold rage, bubbling beneath goosepimpled skin. 

All Snoke or Ren needed were a few stray threads from the tapestry of a person's essence, and they could threaten to unravel it all. Ren would have driven that Resistance pilot insane if he'd have let him, foolish enough to believe that Dameron had nothing else to give, once he'd plucked that one thread free. The Force was dangerous, and lacked the control or efficiency of modern technology. 

The sound of a notification from Hux's datapad interrupted his train of thought, snapping him back to reality. The water had begun to cool, though he remained submerged for another 90 seconds. _ He _was not Supreme Leader yet, so it could wait. 

A sleek, matte-black droid entered, handing him a towel as he heaved himself from the comfort of the bathwater. It made a swift exit while Hux patted himself dry. He sighed as he picked up the datapad and draped the towel over the side of the bath, his hair still dripping wet as he walked back into his quarters. The droid stood by his desk, ready to serve, should he require its assistance. It was based on an old DDM-38 model, though Hux had implemented a few changes. The design had been simple in comparison to his latest creation. He smiled as he thought about the nano-droids swimming around in Ren's bloodstream, but it was short-lived.

"Is something wrong, Sir?" The droid's crisp, clipped speech mirrored his own. Hux reread the message.

"Our scouts have encountered Resistance soldiers northwest of an abandoned facility on Hoth." The droid cocked its head, puzzled as to how this could be bad news. "It seems the Supreme Leader...wishes to lead the attack himself."

* * *

Ren held the new headpiece, surprised at how light it felt in his hands. The design was simple, yet intricate. The slim gold band, with its deadly points, was studded with crimson kyber that matched the cracked crystal in his saber. He placed the crown on his head before walking to the (also cracked) mirror. _ Yes, _ he thought, turning to view himself in profile and smooth his hair down. _ This will do nicely. _

He ignored Hux’s scoffing as he strode into the war room, cape fluttering behind him. The general’s envy was amusing, but Ren had more important matters to consider. 

_ Like how to get rid of him. _

It would be easy to lose him on Hoth. Even without an enemy presence, the planet itself was beyond hostile to visitors. There was a reason there was, as Han Solo had been fond of saying whenever he told Ben the tales, not enough life on that ice cube to fill a space cruiser. Ren winced at the memory, and turned his thoughts towards the more urgent matter - Hux.

There were the tauntauns and wampas, if the Resistance soldiers didn't get him. He wondered if the cold itself might claim him, but part of him suspected that ice already ran through Hux's veins. In any case, there were numerous possibilities.

"I would advise against personally leading the attack, Supreme Leader," Hux said, fidgeting with a stylus. "I commend your enthusiasm and willingness to fight alongside our troopers, but I must insist you consider giving me command in this instance."

"The ground assault on Crait went so _ well _ ," Ren replied, also fidgeting with a stylus as he scanned the map of the old Echo Base on his datapad. "After Starkiller Base, your very own _ magnum opus _...rather blew up in your face."

"I think we both know who was responsible for those failures." Hux was so calm that Ren wondered if he'd anticipated the jibe. "For all of his personal failings, Leader Snoke knew when to delegate." Ren snorted. It had often felt as if Snoke had done nothing _ but _delegate. Even when it had come to training his apprentice, Snoke seemed to have arranged things so that he could get by doing the bare minimum, preferring to lounge around in his ridiculous golden robes, in his sickeningly opulent quarters. The throne room was a little more spartan, though Ren had still made a few changes to the decor. 

Gods, he was glad that old bastard was dead. Even _ Hux _could appreciate the value of simplicity when it came to interior design.

"Very well," Ren conceded. "I leave the matter of _ strategy _ to you. But I _ will _lead the troops into battle." He patted the saber at his hip, waiting for Hux to break eye contact with him. He didn't.

"That would not be my recommendation, but if that is an order-"

"It is."

"-then I suppose I must make the best of it." This would be even better than expected. He would see to it that Hux's own plans were his own undoing. Ren smirked.

"Think of it as a _ challenge _, General." 

* * *

Dopheld Mitaka had never been happier to stay aboard the _ Finalizer _ \- mainly because Kylo Ren was planetside. _ Supreme Leader _, he reminded himself, before realising that it didn't matter right now. Even if Kylo Ren had been stood right next to him, he'd have been no more likely to probe Mitaka's mind than anyone else aboard the star destroyer was.

Nevertheless, he still terrified him. Hux was planetside, too. He wasn't frightened of Ren, of course. But after several years of being acquainted with him, Mitaka had come to realise Hux wasn't really afraid of anyone anymore. It made sense, when everyone that crossed the general seemed to turn up dead. Or not at all.

Yes, calibrating the ventral cannons was a nice _ safe _job for the time being, thank you very much. 

* * *

Hux shivered beneath his greatcoat, teeth chattering as he repeated the strategy to Ren once more. He was not entirely convinced it would be effective. It was a good plan. There was no question about that. The problem, as always, was _ Ren _.

It required the Supreme Leader to avoid reckless behaviour. A man who was, according to all available evidence, a creature of recklessness. A force of _ mayhem. _That a person like Ren had wound up leading the First Order was very disturbing to a person like Hux.

"I had assumed," Ren said irritably, "that the strategy must have changed. Instead, you repeated the entirety of your speech from an hour ago, almost word for word."

"I wanted to make sure things were clear." He clutched at his greatcoat, willing it to become warmer. "And I've been told my speeches are inspiring to the troopers." 

"Clearly someone was trying to flatter you." Hux rolled his eyes. He couldn't be bothered with Ren's idea of wit at the moment. It was too bloody cold. 

As Ren drew his lightsaber from its hilt, Hux readied his blaster and felt for the blade sewn into the inside of his sleeve - good, just where it was supposed to be. Yet he felt a pang of something close to concern as the crimson kyber crystal in Ren's saber crackled wildly, seeming more unstable than ever. Hux had been involved in engineering projects that utilised kyber crystals and that just wasn't _ normal. _

He'd have to keep a close eye on the Supreme Leader.

* * *

Ren raised his lightsaber as the snowtroopers lined up, steeling themselves for the assault on the ruins of Echo Base. Unlike Phasma, he couldn't remember each soldier's individual designation, but he was able to recognise their different postures and mannerisms. One to his left was tall and prone to slouching, and the one checking his blaster was left-handed. Another had a limp from an injury endured on Crait, and favoured his right leg. They seemed a sorry lot, really. Perhaps he'd remind Hux of that later. It'd be almost as amusing as the dig about Starkiller Base.

Still, he couldn't fault the troopers' obedience, and their ice white armour was the perfect camouflage as they navigated the frozen hellscape. They crept through old trenches littered with the remains of DF.9 turrets, as stealthily as they were able to in their clanky armour. 

Hux was lagging behind, as if he _ wanted _ to make Ren's job easy...but he knew better than that. There was a reason behind everything Hux did, even if it was a stupid one. Not _ too _ stupid, of course. Anyone worthy of being Ren's adversary had to have at least half a brain. Hux cleared his throat before addressing the troopers.

"Echo Base may not be the glacial fortress it once was, but we cannot rule out the possibility that the Resistance has been able to make some _ rudimentary _ repairs. This facility was designed for immediate evacuation." He bit his lip. "We underestimated the Resistance on Crait...but we still have the upper hand. If we follow the strategy devised by the Supreme Leader and myself, we _ will _ be victorious. We _ will _ rid the galaxy of these malignant insurgents and we _ will _have justice for our fallen in the Battle of Crait."

Ren forced himself to refrain from commenting on how much Hux seemed to love the sound of his own voice. Regardless, his speech seemed to have a hypnotic effect on the stormtroopers, who moved with a renewed sense of purpose as their general reminded them of their fallen brothers and sisters.

In the end, he had no part in devising a strategy for the ground troops, but Hux had thought it prudent to put on a show of solidarity. Tensions between the Supreme Leader and High Command were to be expected, but it was inappropriate to air one's dirty laundry in full view of one's subordinates. It had been one of the few things they agreed on. Ren slowed down until Hux finally caught up with him. 

"It would be far easier to navigate with my abilities. Not just for myself, but for the group," he said, keeping his voice low as he gestured towards the troopers. Only Hux and a few select officers were aware of Ren's severed connection to the Force. Perhaps if Hux listened to reason now, things would remain that way. "If you restored them even just for this mission, it would be to the benefit of the First Order. I could sense life forms, connect with the very planet to-"

"Surely you have not become so dependent on your abilities," Hux interrupted, "that your other senses have left you entirely." He was fidgeting, wringing his hands, then rubbing them together. "In any case, it's not something that can simply be done or undone at will." Ren frowned.

"Not even in case of emergency?"

"In case of emergency, we will manage very well without them," Hux replied icily. Ren didn't need to probe the general's mind to realise his thoughts had returned once again to Starkiller Base. To Snoke. To the girl. "Perhaps you will even learn to consider the consequences of your actions before charging in like a nerf in a porcelain shop."

"Is everyone from Arkanis fascinated with those terrible creatures? Life must have been awfully dull." Hux wrinkled his nose.

"Not at all. If you thought the comparison was complimentary, you were sadly mistaken. I, for one, was far more interested in the sea monsters that ate them."

"Of course you were." He noticed Hux deliberately slow his pace again, but it didn't matter to him. Hux would see reason soon enough...and reason was something he always responded to. 

And then Ren would have his revenge.

* * *

With his new crown, Ren’s height was exaggerated to an absurd degree. He towered over most of the troopers following him. Even hunched, with most of his figure concealed beneath a thick gaberwool cloak, his flawless physique (with _ nothing _ nerf-like about it) was obvious. Like Phasma had been before him, he was someone whose physical fitness would inspire and encourage the troops. Hux bit his lip. _ Thin as a slip of paper. _Just some of many words his father had for him, forever etched into his childhood memories. 

But his father had been wrong about a lot of things, and one slip of paper could be very dangerous indeed. Brendol might have considered the physical act of writing to be primitive and sentimental, but Hux recalled his mother’s tales of forged confessions and misplaced love letters with some fondness. They had not been quite as entertaining as her stories about the monsters that traversed Arkanis’ oceans, but there was something exhilarating about the thought of lives being undone, regimes being toppled - by nothing more than a foolish note. . _Enough nostalgia. _He snapped back to the present, pleased to see the snowtroopers following his plan to the letter. Ren’s dark, hulking figure was striking against their armour and the seemingly endless white wasteland...until he vanished.

Amid the troopers’ panic, it took Hux longer than it should have done to realise what had happened and to see the large crack forming on the ground beneath them. _ Ice. _

* * *

Ren barely had time to register being plunged into a frigid darkness where time felt like treacle. Eventually the instinct to breathe overcame the urge to hold his breath. A cascade of freezing water filled his mouth, until he no longer knew whether he was breathing in or out. Without his connection to the Force all he felt, other than the cold seeping into his very being, was profound panic. 

He was going to die here. A stupid, _ mundane _death. Even if he somehow made it back to the surface, he didn't stand a chance against Hoth's subzero temperatures. Had Hux engineered this? Typical, that even his dying thoughts would be of that contemptible man. 

The last thing he remembered before losing consciousness was a hot flash of red, and then there were no more thoughts.


	3. sacred and lofty purposes

"There!" The signal was faint, but Hux spotted the familiar line of crimson beneath the ice. The snowtroopers moved quickly with their equipment (to the credit of their training program, of course). One cut through the ice to widen the entry point, while the diver, called Moonbird by the others, fastened her harness with deft hand movements. Her line tender secured the line, going over the signal communications one more time. 

"We're ready, Sir." Hux gave the order to dive, pleased to see that Moonbird looked confident as she descended. Later, he would have words with the troopers about silly nicknames, but it could wait. 

"Don't even _ think _about dying now," Hux hissed under his breath. Ren hadn't been vital to this particular mission, but that didn't diminish his overall usefulness. Losing Ren so soon after Phasma would be a fatal blow to morale...for the soldiers. 

The trooper tending the line pulled once, and looked relieved when his message was acknowledged.

This whole situation was hardly ideal for Hux himself - he had no intention of inheriting Ren's title as a result of some freak accident. If he didn't prove himself competent before usurping the Supreme Leader, his own position would be uncertain and under scrutiny by High Command, other ambitious officers, perhaps even the Knights of Ren…

Suddenly, the line jerked down so violently that the standby diver almost toppled into the hole in the ice. The following series of rope signals were frantic, and the snowtroopers up top struggled to pull Moonbird back up. When she reached the surface, it became evident why. As soon as she hauled herself to thicker ice, she unceremoniously dumped the man's body before collapsing next to him.

Moonbird would be fine after taking a few moments to recover, but Ren's soaked clothes clung to him like a second skin, while his actual skin had taken on a deathly shade of white. He looked like a corpse imitating a living person, like a zombie out of one of the old holovids. Something between life and death.

"Don't just stand there," Hux snapped, and the snowtroopers sprung back into action. Irritated beyond belief that this wasn't even _ Ren's _ fault, he made the request for an immediate pickup. The Resistance could wait a little longer - with their pitiful excuse for a fleet, the First Order would catch up soon enough.

* * *

When Ren woke he was still shivering, and when he tried to speak, everything slurred into meaningless vowels. At some point his clothing had been changed, and a heavy gaberwool blanket was draped over his torso. 

"I'll assume you're trying to convey your gratitude." Ren did not need to look up to realise who was at his bedside. 

"We're even." Even those two words were a struggle, and Hux seemed to pause so long that he wasn't sure they'd come out right.

"Ah, yes. The doctor did say there'd be some...confusion." Ren frowned, or thought he did. "I've saved you _ twice _now. It appears you have a talent for almost freezing to death."

"_ Even_," Ren repeated, with conviction. Whatever treatment the staff had administered had begun to work - at least _ someone _ on the _ Finalizer _ was doing their job properly. "You tried to kill me."

"The ice-"

"No. In the throne room." His vision was still blurred, but of the corner of his eye, he saw Hux smile.

"I _ thought _about it." He smoothed his uniform as he shifted closer to Ren. "Don't take it so personally. I'm sure a lot of people think about it." After being submerged in freezing water, the heat radiating from Hux was so enticing that Ren gripped his collar, pulling him closer still. 

"Not as many as think about killing you," he whispered. Even though he wasn't cold, Hux shivered, but he didn't move away. 

"Has the chill addled your senses so much that you need reminding? You can't read minds now, Ren." Hux was almost on top of him. 

"I know a murderous look when I see one." Regaining a little more of the feeling in his hands, he grabbed a fistful of red hair and pulled. "You're thinking about it right now." The general met his gaze.

"Clearly you're thinking about something else" Hux gestured downwards with a smirk, and it was then that Ren became aware that his fingers weren't the only body parts regaining feeling. He groaned and shoved Hux away, adjusting the blanket in a vain attempt to preserve some modesty. But as Hux walked away, he realised it wasn't a blanket at all.

It was a greatcoat.

The next morning was equally strange. Determined to get back to some kind of normality, Ren found his way to one of the  _ Finalizer's  _ training rooms to do some light exercise. On his thirty-first pushup, Ren froze as he felt a weight on his back and a gloved hand wrapping around his neck, squeezing slightly harder than was comfortable. As he leaned in closer, Hux's breath was warm against Ren's earlobe.

"You  _ actually  _ tried to kill me in the throne room. I thought I ought to return the favour." Slowly, he tightened his grip before releasing it, though his long fingers still lingered just above Ren's collarbone. "But, unlike you, I have some measure of self-control." Ren resumed his pushups, smirking as he felt Hux's balance falter for a moment.

"Perhaps. But it seems to me that you're very eager to ride me and do none of the work." He couldn't be sure, but the way Hux's body shifted indicated that he was laughing.

"The Supreme Leader doing all the work? Sounds like a dream." Hux somehow managed to spin himself so that he was able to gracefully dismount. When Ren flopped onto the mat and rolled over, the training room was empty. He tried very hard not to think about how it turned out that one of the few things more satisfying than choking Hux was having Hux's fingers curl around his throat, applying just enough pressure for a bruise to bloom.

* * *

Weeks went by, and stretched out into months. Each of those months, Hux scheduled a haircut with one of the troopers who'd shown more flair with a pair of scissors than with a blaster. Most officers simply utilised the droids with suitable programming but - and this, he would likely never admit it to anyone - it was the one day that, for just a few minutes, Hux could enjoy a connection with another sapient being on his own terms. 

There were still no new leads on the remnants of the Resistance, and once they’d been able to return to examine the base on Hoth, there was no evidence of anyone having been there in the last few decades. More amusingly, Ren had avoided being alone with him since the morning in the training room. 

But for all that the Supreme Leader was behaving ridiculously towards _ him, _ Hux noted that he’d had many more reports of successful missions, and (after an initial spike) fewer reports of petulant tantrums and broken consoles - in fact, not one in the last six months. Ren seemed to _ finally _be taking things seriously. He was actually doing a decent job.

Of course, Hux could do better.

Still, the First Order had established a presence in the Bastatha, Kuat, and Arkanis Systems. Kuat was looking to be a particularly fruitful endeavour if all went well, especially after the extensive damage sustained by the _ Supremacy. _ Had Hux been told eight months ago that _ Kylo Ren _ would be making preparations for negotiations with Kuat Drive Yards, he’d have assumed the officer had either been drinking on duty or was in dire need of a visit to one of the ship’s psytechs. _ And yet… _

“Sir?” Lieutenant Mitaka’s voice crackled over the comms. “The Supreme Leader has requested an audience with you.” Hux sighed, closing his eyes for a moment longer as the trooper-turned-barber carefully combed finished combing the wet hair at the nape of his neck. It was one of the few small things in his life that helped him relax. Helped him to feel like a _ person. _And Ren had interrupted that.

“Very well. Thank you, Lieutenant.” Initially, Hux had been irritated that Ren had chosen the _ Finalizer’s _decks for his new throne room, but at least it saved him the trouble of travelling back and forth according to the Supreme Leader’s whims. Ren’s throne room was far less ostentatious, and he was not surrounded by guards in crimson, whose armour had reminded Hux too much of Cardinal for his liking. Sometimes a couple of the Knights of Ren would be present, but Ren was not one to rely on his surroundings when it came to displays of power. When it came down to it, he didn’t really need to sit upon a throne or have a crown upon his head. All who entered would be well aware of his status, with or without the Force.

Hux hated that. There were many officers in the First Order who despised Ren, but they still showed him a level of respect that Hux could only _ hope _for. But he would endure because, unlike Ren, he was patient.

“General Hux.” Ren bowed his head slightly as Hux approached the throne, his crown barely shifting forward. “We are on course for Arkanis, as I’m sure you’re aware.”

“Indeed. What of it?”

“I have plans to meet with Carise Sindian tomorrow, for negotiations. You will accompany me.” 

“Will I now? And what makes you think _ my _ presence would be advantageous, when dealing with someone like _ Lady _ Carise Sindian?” Hux’s nails scraped against the leather lining of his gloves. “I think someone with a... _ background _such as your own would be more successful in securing an alliance.” For a moment Ren looked genuinely perplexed. 

“You were born on Arkanis,” he said, tucking a stray lock of hair beneath his crown. “You may not like the nobility, but you _ understand _ them. Your insights would be useful to me. _ And _, as I recall, it's just Carise now. She was stripped of her royal titles. One of the few things you could thank my mother for." Hearing Ren speak freely about his mother was strange, but Hux couldn’t stop his lips from forming a half-smile. 

“Was that so hard to admit? That you _ need _me?” Ren rolled his eyes.

“Not especially. I thought it was evident in the suggestion that you accompany me. You're the most qualified officer to do so...at least, providing your father doesn't return from his...what was it? A _ secret mission _?” 

"Oh, I don't expect he will be." Hux held back a chuckle. "I may have the advantage of having lived there, but I was spirited away from Arkanis before you were even born. To say my time there was brief would be something of an understatement." Ren leaned forward and pinched the bridge of his nose, the raven hair he’d so neatly tucked away flopping back over his sallow face. 

"If you have so little history there, why are you so reluctant to return?"

"Miserable weather, insufferable nobles, sea monsters...need I go on?"

"Naturally, _ Lady _Carise's estate is in a domed city, you are constantly reminding me of your experience in dealing with insufferable people, and," Ren grinned, "I thought you liked the sea monsters." Hux raised an eyebrow.

"I'm surprised you remembered. Though, interesting as they may be, monsters are still dangerous." Ren nodded slowly, then rested his chin on his left hand.

"Such a shame I'm not able to use the Force. I could have subdued them." Hux saw no need to mention that there was no need for them to visit the coast on their mission to Arkanis. Given that Carise Sindian had been allied with the First Order before Ren had even joined the organisation, he doubted that it would be particularly difficult to reach an outcome satisfactory to all parties. And from what he’d heard, even if she was 'just Carise' nowadays, she did so love ties to the Elder Families - ties that the son of Princess Leia just happened to have. 

Because _ of course _he did.

* * *

It was strange how Ren had become almost accustomed to his lack of Force-sensitivity. When he stepped out of the shuttle and into the Arkanis’ near-constant, hazy drizzle, his other senses were heightened. The sound of raindrops on the hull was much louder than it ought to have been, and his nostrils filled with the scent of the wet soil and clay beneath their feet. Hux treaded carefully beside him, trying not to get mud on his boots. At first, the intensity of the sensations had made him dizzy. Now, it was...grounding.

“You said the estate was in a domed city,” Hux said, wrinkling his nose at an especially squelchy patch of mud. “Which begs the question - why are we out here?”

“With all the traffic in the city, walking from here is quicker. And I know how you appreciate efficiency, General.”

“I also appreciate dry clothes,” Hux muttered. Ren couldn’t really find it in himself to feel annoyed at him. There was no real bite to Hux’s complaint, and he already looked like a drowned, ginger rat.

"We may as well make the most of the hospitality we will receive. I'm told our host very much appreciates formalities. And that she happens to have a spa." It had been an age since Ren had bathed in water scented with lilac and gooseberries, and he didn't plan on missing out when given the opportunity to indulge that particular guilty pleasure. 

"I see," Hux said, still trying in vain to avoid the muddiest patches. "That hardly sounds like the most _ efficient _ use of our time, but I suppose a shower at the very least will be necessary after traipsing through all... _ this." _Hux gestured towards the landscape in a show of distaste, but something in his eyes told Ren that he wasn't exactly dreading the experience.

* * *

As Ren had promised, they were offered the chance to 'freshen up' before dining with their host. Hux was grateful to shed his wet clothes, drenched with the earthy scents of his homeworld, and slowly sink into the bath. The scented water came up to his shoulders, and he tilted his head back to wet his hair. He supposed that was one good thing about Arkanis - there was never any danger of a drought. In the early days of the First Order, there had been times when water had been in short supply and the cadets on the star destroyers had made do with sonic showers. It had been strange, when his mother had never had to scold him for wasting water. All he had left of her now were half-memories. Shadows, really. 

Hux didn't want to think about his mother. At least, not here, and not now. He resumed rinsing the smell of rain out of his hair when Ren walked in, striding towards him through the steam. Such melodrama...as to be expected of their _ illustrious _ leader.

"I didn't realise you were still bathing," he said, discreetly slipping out of his towel and into the bathwater. 

"Well, here I am." Hux had been enjoying the peace and privacy, but was too stubborn to leave simply because Ren was there. Besides, he didn't want to appear intimidated. He narrowed his eyes as Ren cast his gaze over him. "Enjoying the view?" Ren snorted.

"Not what I'd have chosen." It might have just been the heat, but Ren's cheeks had a little more colour than usual. Hux saw no harm in testing the waters, as it were.

"So long as you're not overcome by desire by my mere presence..._ again. _ " Hux edged towards Ren and ever so gently tapped his forehead. "Because we need you thinking with the brain _ up here _." 

"There's no need to concern yourself about that." Ren moved away, busying himself with the expensive looking hair products he'd acquired sometime after their arrival. Hux smirked as he rose from the bath and grabbed his towel, feeling Ren's eyes on him as he disappeared into the steam.

It definitely _ hadn't _ just been the heat.


	4. the most racking pangs

Carise seemed to glide rather than walk into the room. She wore a shimmering red robe and, despite her present lack of any official royal title, an intricate tiara studded with rubies and opals. In comparison Ren's crown, while superior in size, seemed sensible and utilitarian. She certainly wasn't trying to make it difficult to guess what she wanted out of any bargain they were likely to strike. 

"Supreme Leader," Carise gushed. She bowed her head, both as an acknowledgement of Ren's royal lineage and to show off her opulent headpiece. "General Hux. I was not lucky enough to know your father, but I have heard of his accomplishments." Hux smiled, but Ren noticed the way his fists clenched behind his back, where Carise could not see. 

"And I, yours. The First Order has long appreciated your unwavering support." Ren nodded, glad that he had brought Hux along. Ren was usually able to perceive what it was that a potential ally wanted (and Carise was hardly being subtle), but negotiations were not something that came naturally to him. Whatever else he might think of Hux, the general was a skilled orator and a master manipulator. At his best, he might even have measured up to the Emperor in that regard. Thankfully, Hux was easier on the eye than Palpatine had been. Ren had expected skin peppered with freckles when they'd bathed, and been surprised to see flesh that looked like it had been carved from marble. It hadn't been until then that it had really hit him - Hux had spent most of his life on Star Destroyers. He'd barely even seen sunshine, let alone basked in it. For some reason, he found that made him feel as if there was something uncomfortable stuck in his throat.

"Ah." Hux cleared his throat. "I'm afraid someone has misinformed you. Lady Maratelle was not my mother." Carise's expression had altered but she was polite enough to avoid speaking on the topic, instead calling for tea.

"So that we are clear," Ren said firmly, "General Hux's parentage is of no consequence to me. His deeds are more valuable to me than his bloodline, and he has far surpassed his father's achievements." Carise was quick to respond, while Hux, for the first time since Ren had known him, seemed at a loss for words.

"I quite agree." She turned to Hux, all charm. "There is no question about the nobility of your character, General. Some things do indeed..._ surpass _ bloodlines."

"It is kind of you to say so," Hux replied, though Ren could tell he wasn't best pleased with the tone of her response. In any case, he wasn't about to jeopardize negotiations - Arkanis was a wealthy planet with desirable resources, and Carise had the means and connections to provide them. "It speaks volumes of your own _ character _." That was his cue.

"Indeed, it _ does. _It really is most unfair that you were robbed of your own royal title and it pains me greatly that it was orchestrated by my very own mother. As a fellow child of the Elder Houses, I would see this miscarriage of justice rectified."

Carise's deep brown eyes glittered, her smile widening. 

"You have my attention, Supreme Leader." 

Unsurprisingly, things had gone smoothly after that. He had, after all, listened carefully to Hux on the shuttle journey and memorised most of his speech. But actually having Hux by his side, to step in where he did falter, had been a great help. Somehow, the two of them had presented a united front, worked _ well _together, and secured an alliance for the First Order - which was why he was puzzled as to why Hux seemed quite so agitated. 

“What troubles you?” Ren eventually asked, as they made their way to their rooms through ornately decorated corridors, about as far from the _ Finalizer’s _sleek, mirrored walls as they were like to see. “I thought we did rather well.”

“Did you-” Hux faltered for what felt like a very long time. “Did you mean what you said?”

“I mean to honour my end of the bargain, if that’s what-”

“-no. No, I realise that. I wasn’t questioning your intentions.” Hux bit his lip, and Ren noticed he wasn’t standing up as straight as usual. He looked smaller, in danger of being swallowed whole by his freshly dry cleaned greatcoat.

“What I said about _ you? _ Well...yes, I-” Ren yelped as Hux grabbed him by the collar, dragging him closer until their noses bumped together. Ren pulled back, then closed the distance again, pressing his lips softly against Hux’s. It would have been better if he didn’t taste like bitter tarine tea, but somehow it felt _ right. _

“I have no intention of abdicating to you in two weeks’ time,” he whispered, entangling his fingers in Hux’s hair before being gently pushed away.

“No, I didn’t expect so,” Hux said, fumbling with an access cylinder. “It’s late, and I have datawork to process. We’ll speak further in the morning.” And with that, he disappeared into his guest room without so much as glancing back at Ren.

* * *

In fact, Hux did very little in the way of datawork and a great deal more of replaying the moment he’d shared with Ren outside his door, all too aware that the Supreme Leader’s own room was right next door. This was _ not _ supposed to be happening. It hadn’t even been a great kiss, really. It had been _ awkward - _not to mention that Ren had indulged in far too many of the sweet treats Carise had offered, and the taste had lingered on his lips. 

_ This is ridiculous, _he told himself for the fifth time, and tried once again to focus on his datawork. It was useless.

_ Useless, useless, useless… _

He woke a couple of hours later, still at his desk, cheek pressed against the smooth, warm surface of his datapad. He had dreamed about his mother again - unsurprising, given where he was. Of course, Armitage had never been lucky enough to see her tame the leviathans that roamed Arkanis’ oceans. She’d given it up once she’d learned she was pregnant. But it had never been hard for him to imagine. She could do _ anything. _

Or so he believed.

He brushed his hair out of his eyes, made a cup of instant caf with one of the sachets he’d packed and, this time with fierce determination, returned to his datawork.

* * *

Ren surprised himself by being able to focus on the important matters at hand - securing arms deals for the First Order’s military, as well as funding for improvements the stormtrooper programs, and keeping the younger officers happy without irritating the ‘old school’ former Imperials. Having so much on his plate should have meant he barely had time to think about Hux, but that was not the case. He couldn’t _ stop _ thinking about Hux, and was only just coming to realise that this had been the case for quite some time _ before _ the kiss at the recently reinstated _ Lady _Carise Sindian’s estate. For quite a lot longer than he’d really care to admit.

He didn’t see Hux for those two weeks. Naturally, as Supreme Leader, he could have summoned him, but it seemed pointless if Hux didn’t want to be there...and after all, he would see him at the end of those two weeks, for better or for worse. 

The other thing that surprised him was that he was not nearly as relieved as he’d expected to be at the prospect of recovering his lost abilities - his connection to the Force. It wasn’t that he didn’t want his powers back, but rather that he’d grown used to not needing them in his daily life. He’d begun to see things, and _ people, _in different ways. In some senses, he felt more himself than ever before. But that wasn’t the only issue.

Whatever else might transpire between them Ren knew, deep down, that the Force only served to put more pressure on the fault lines in his relationship with Hux. Hux’s intense appreciation of modern technological warfare played a part in that, but he would have to have been especially dense not to realise that his disdain for Ren’s abilities had always been far greater than his disdain for Snoke and his powers. 

Finally, he stopped pacing around his quarters, tired of waiting for Hux. He had a solution to their problem, and he was going to put it to him right now. 

* * *

Hux instinctively stepped back when the doors to Ren’s quarters slid open. Ren, for his part, was equally startled, though he recovered quickly and ushered Hux inside the large, if spartan room. The door had barely shut when Hux found himself pinned loosely against the wall, with Ren kissing him roughly, all tongue and teeth. At least he didn’t taste of sweets.

"Before I continue, I...I have a proposition for you." 

“I’d never have guessed.”

“Not  _ that, _ ” Ren hissed, exasperated. “Look.” He indicated the plinth on which his crown currently rested...next to a matching crown of platinum, encrusted with ice blue jewels. “I didn’t have your measurements, so the size may need adjusting...” Hux frowned.

“I thought you had no intention of relinquishing the throne.” 

“I don’t. But it’s an exceptionally large throne. Large enough for two, I’d wager.” Ren winced, and Hux could guess the cause - the Supreme Leader felt a small and sudden flutter of a emotion that was not his own. A feeling that Hux had no name for.

“Affection,” Ren said quietly, evidently as taken aback as Hux himself, though whether that was a result of his powers manifesting or the revelation of Hux’s growing feelings was impossible to tell. Ren reached to pick up the new crown, and Hux bowed his head slightly so that Ren might place it upon his head. “It suits you.” He smiled. “So does the crown.”

Hux ran his hands over the sharp edges of his crown, then over the jewels. It was well made - there was no question whatsoever about the craftsmanship of whoever had created it...and he didn’t need access to a mirror to know that Ren was telling the truth about it suiting him. He always had looked good in silver, and platinum was even better.

“I’m a knight. A warrior. My  _ unique  _ abilities are an asset,” Ren continued. “But I do not have your skill in strategy or diplomacy. I can just about get through a formal dinner without it ending in a duel, but the subtleties of politics elude me. We’re stronger together, and the First Order will be stronger for it.” 

“What are your terms?”

“One year. A trial, if you will.” Ren grinned, and Hux couldn’t hold back his laughter. He brushed a finger over Ren’s lips before drawing him into another kiss.

“Very well, Ren. One year. I accept your  _ proposal. _ ”


End file.
